The visa that allows US employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations (H1B Visas) the application fee might be hiked for the same. As per reports, Labour Secretary Alexander Acosta, told American lawmakers to hike the H-1B visa application fee to increase funding for the expansion of an apprentice programme. This move would impose additional financial burden on Indian IT companies.
Standing before Congressional committee on the annual budget of the Department of Labor for the fiscal year 2020 beginning October 1, 2019, he said that the Labor Department has also made changes to the H-1B application forms to ensure greater transparency and better protect American workers from employers seeking to misuse the programme.
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However, no details were discussed over the proposed increase in the H-1B filing fee and the categories of applicants it would be enforced on.
The Indian IT companies, which account for a large number of H-1B applications, will face the supplementary financial burden because of this proposed increase in H-1B filing fees.
Previously Acosta had said, “In FY 2020, the Department's budget includes USD 160 million to continue our expansion of apprenticeship programmes, along with a proposal to increase H-1B fee revenues to fund additional apprenticeship activities.”
As per facts presented more than 100,000 foreign workers are brought to the US on the H-1B visa and are allowed to stay for up to six years. There is about 650,000 H-1B visa foreign workers in the US at any given moment.
Republican Congressmen Arizona Paul Gosar said, “Let's put our citizens first and protect US workers and wages. Hard-working and highly-skilled American men and women share their stories about H-1B visa fraud and abuse.”